I’m an idiot because once
before we were married she asked me whether I knew
that we would not be having children
if we did get married, and I said yes.
And because she knew I was lying,
she asked if I was really okay with that.
And because I’m an idiot I said yes again.
And once during a fight, not married
more than two years, she said she felt like my first wife,
and I, like an idiot, assured her that she was.
She worked out at the gym five times a week
and smoked as many packs of ultra lights,
and I’m an idiot because when I asked her why,
She said, Because I hate myself and I want to die.
And I laughed and said something I don’t recall,
something completely and utterly insufficient.
From the roof of our apartment,
I saw 40 or 50 people jump from the towers
on a Tuesday morning—we used to be able to see them to the south,
just as, to the north, we can still see
(and by “we” I guess I mean now just me)
the Empire State Building,
which still steeps me in gratitude
because I’m an idiot—
out of the smoke with arms flailing.
And I swear I saw a perfect swan.
And I was going to write a poem
about how fire is the only thing
that can make a person jump out a window.
And maybe I’m an idiot for thinking I could have saved her—
call me her knight in shattered armor—
could have loved her more,
or told the truth about children.
But depression, too, is a kind of fire.
And I know nothing of either.
Poetic devices used
Metaphor- Depression, too, is a kind of fire (depression really does not create a high degree of heat)
Repetition- I'm an idiot (He kept of saying how he was an idiot)
Allusion- the Empire State Building (alluding to the Empire State Building)
Euphemism- that can make a person jump out a window (suicide)
Imagery- out of the smoke with arms flailing
Symbol- call me her knight in shattered armor—
Theme- But depression, too, is a kind of fire (pretty much saying depression makes you want to suicide as much as fires in your building)
Rhythm and Rhyme- and I’m an idiot because when I asked her why,
She said, Because I hate myself and I want to die.
Overall meaning
I believe that this poem is talking about how depression is just as bad as a fire in your house. When there's a fire in your house and you're on a high building of 20 floors, you have no chance of surviving either way, cornering your mind. Depression does the same by cornering yourself into suicide. By Taylor Mali's last line "But depression, too, is a kind of fire. And I know nothing of either." He is saying that you would not be able to understand until you are in the very position. Overall, I think this poem is very simple, yet deep.
Why I chose this poem
I chose this poem "Depression Too Is A Type Of Fire" because it was a nice change to the constant funny poems he does and it felt like this was life everywhere around the world, and we just don't know it.
Some key words and phrases
Knight in shattered armor
like an idiot
But depression, too, is a kind of fire
Because I hate myself and I want to die.
Lastly...
"Knight in shattered armor" is a key phrase as you can see, but what exactly does it mean? I would like to explain what I think of the phrase "knight in shattered armor". I believe, may it be correct or not, that it means of a person who the "princess" loves, yet is imperfect.
Depression Too Is A Type Of Fire
I’m an idiot because once
before we were married she asked me whether I knew
that we would not be having children
if we did get married, and I said yes.
And because she knew I was lying,
she asked if I was really okay with that.
And because I’m an idiot I said yes again.
And once during a fight, not married
more than two years, she said she felt like my first wife,
and I, like an idiot, assured her that she was.
She worked out at the gym five times a week
and smoked as many packs of ultra lights,
and I’m an idiot because when I asked her why,
She said, Because I hate myself and I want to die.
And I laughed and said something I don’t recall,
something completely and utterly insufficient.
From the roof of our apartment,
I saw 40 or 50 people jump from the towers
on a Tuesday morning—we used to be able to see them to the south,
just as, to the north, we can still see
(and by “we” I guess I mean now just me)
the Empire State Building,
which still steeps me in gratitude
because I’m an idiot—
out of the smoke with arms flailing.
And I swear I saw a perfect swan.
And I was going to write a poem
about how fire is the only thing
that can make a person jump out a window.
And maybe I’m an idiot for thinking I could have saved her—
call me her knight in shattered armor—
could have loved her more,
or told the truth about children.
But depression, too, is a kind of fire.
And I know nothing of either.
Poetic devices used
Metaphor- Depression, too, is a kind of fire (depression really does not create a high degree of heat)Repetition- I'm an idiot (He kept of saying how he was an idiot)
Allusion- the Empire State Building (alluding to the Empire State Building)
Euphemism- that can make a person jump out a window (suicide)
Imagery- out of the smoke with arms flailing
Symbol- call me her knight in shattered armor—
Theme- But depression, too, is a kind of fire (pretty much saying depression makes you want to suicide as much as fires in your building)
Rhythm and Rhyme- and I’m an idiot because when I asked her why,
She said, Because I hate myself and I want to die.
Overall meaning
I believe that this poem is talking about how depression is just as bad as a fire in your house. When there's a fire in your house and you're on a high building of 20 floors, you have no chance of surviving either way, cornering your mind. Depression does the same by cornering yourself into suicide. By Taylor Mali's last line "But depression, too, is a kind of fire. And I know nothing of either." He is saying that you would not be able to understand until you are in the very position. Overall, I think this poem is very simple, yet deep.Why I chose this poem
I chose this poem "Depression Too Is A Type Of Fire" because it was a nice change to the constant funny poems he does and it felt like this was life everywhere around the world, and we just don't know it.Some key words and phrases
Knight in shattered armorlike an idiot
But depression, too, is a kind of fire
Because I hate myself and I want to die.
Lastly...
"Knight in shattered armor" is a key phrase as you can see, but what exactly does it mean? I would like to explain what I think of the phrase "knight in shattered armor". I believe, may it be correct or not, that it means of a person who the "princess" loves, yet is imperfect.